Box Score

LA PLUME, Pa.- Playing the first of four straight road Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) games, the Immaculata women's basketball team travelled to Keystone (8-9, 5-3 CSAC) on Wednesday night and dominated start to finish in an 81-51 victory over the Giants.  The Mighty Macs (11-7, 8-1 CSAC) jumped out to a commanding 43-19 lead at the half and never looked back.
 
Senior Brittany Merkle logged her fifth double-double of the season with a season-high 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Mighty Macs while senior Alison Zimny (3-for-5 three point FG) scored a season-high 18 points with six rebounds and four assists.  Seniors Adriana Sciascia (6 assists) and Sara Smith (4 rebounds) each chipped in with 11 points.
 
As a team, IU shot 46% (29-for-63) from the field while dishing out 20 assists and forcing 24 turnovers.
 
Keystone held a pair of two-point leads early in the game, and trailing 4-2, the Mighty Macs went on a 7-0 run behind jumpers by Smith and senior Mackie Fitzgerald (9 points) and the first of three triples by Zimny.
 
The Mighty Macs went up seven early, but the Giants trimmed it to a three-point game at 17-14.  Immaculata then went on a huge run to close out the half as they outscored the Giants 26-5, including a 16-0 spurt, over the remaining 10:44 of the first half to take their 43-19 advantage to the locker room.
 
Merkle scored six points while Sciascia and Smith each chipped in with buckets to swell the lead to 27-17 following a Keystone free throw.  That's when the Mighty Macs went on their 16-0 spurt that held the Giants scoreless for nearly six minutes. 
 
Sciascia and sophomore Reilly Larkin each hit a pair of free throws to start before Fitzgerald nailed a three pointer.  Zimny and Sciascia then converted lay-ups, and following a Merkle free throw, Zimny scored the final four points of the run as the Mighty Macs led 43-17.  Keystone went 0-for-8 from the field during the stretch with six turnovers before knocking down their final attempt of the half and sending the teams to the locker room with IU in front by 24.
 
In the second half, the Giants never got closer than 22 points.  When Keystone cut it to 59-37 with 12:18 to go, Merkle, Zimny, and Smith each converted lay-ups to build the lead back up.
 
IU got the lead up above 30 points when Merkle scored two more of her 22 points as the Mighty Macs finished off the 81-51 victory over the Giants.  With the win, the Mighty Macs remained in second place in the CSAC.
 
IU will travel back north on Saturday at 1 p.m. to take on Marywood as they seek a season sweep of the Pacers.
 
NOTES: Smith is now in 17^th place on the career scoring list with 1,059 points … She passed Maria McLaughlin (1984-88) and Chelsea McTigue (2007-11).